If Walls Could Talk
by Kit
Summary: Its the end of an affair and Monica doesn't know how to let it go...
1. Prologue

Author's note- I wasn't going to post this series until I've finished it. However, in light of the recent tragic event that went on last week, I figured that life is too short to wait. Special thanks to Jjaks for his tremendous help. (Jjaks, I hope you feel better!) This story is loosely based on the movie "Same Time Next Year" starring Dick Vandyke. For those of you who haven't seen it, its about two people meeting up once a year to...well, get it on. It is a really funny movie.  
  
Anyway, the characters are not mine, this is not written for profit but for entertainment only. There are lots of sex in this series, but don't worry, it is not NC-17 because I don't have the talent nor the experience to write it.  
  
"Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom,  
No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from,  
Fill your lives with love and bravery,  
And you shall lead a life uncommon."  
  
Jewel - Life Uncommon  
  
This story is dedicated to the heroes whose life are tragically cut short by hatred; and their loved ones who's affected by this event .   
  
***  
  
If Walls Could Talk  
  
Prologue  
  
April 23, 2003  
  
Monica smiles as she looks at her reflection in the mirror. Here she is, wearing a silky black garment that ends just above her knees; the shade of her lingerie contrasts with the tone of her skin, which causes it to look even smoother than usual, and its shiny material subtly emphasizes her womanly curves.   
  
Of all their rendezvous in the past ten years, this is the first time she dressed up for him; and she has every reason to go out of her way to make this year perfect.  
  
She tilts her head to one side as she continues to study her figure. She knows how to drive him over the edge in the past and she is determined to do it again tonight, even more so than the previous years.   
  
For today is her 34th birthday, it is also the tenth anniversary of their affair.   
  
Once a year, they'd secretly meet up at her parents' beach house to celebrate her birthday. This carries on throughout friendships, relationships with others and well, marriages.   
  
A decade is actually a pretty short period of time when one adds all aspects of life into the equation. Nevertheless, this birthday thing has been such a significant part of her that she feels like they've done this forever. For years, he has been an absolute constant in her life and she can't imagine spending this day with anyone else but him.   
  
No one knows about their annual rendezvous and they'd never, ever mention it on any other day of the year.   
  
These are two of their most important rules about April 23rd.   
  
Anxious in anticipation, she dabs some perfume on her neck and between her breasts. The night hasn't even begun yet and she gets butterflies in her stomach already.   
  
It is at times like these that she marvels at the fact that they've made it this far. Friends have married and moved away. Some have started a family while others have unfortunately gone through several painful divorces. Still, the two of them would show up here every year and simply let their passions do wonders.   
  
Of course, all good things must come to an end. As soon as those annoyingly beautiful morning rays interrupt the magic of their night, the two of them will go on their separate ways, with an unspoken promise of returning to the beach house same time next year.   
  
A sudden wave of sadness washes over her when she realizes that this time, unlike previous birthdays, there will be no intentions of meeting here on the following year anymore.  
  
No, she refuses to think about this now. Tonight, she will focus on him and him only.  
  
Upon the sound of his entrance from the back door, Monica hurries toward the bed before she looks around and does some last minute checks. The room is lit with dozens of candles and the bed is showered with rose petals. There are champagne and ice on the nightstand while Nat King Cole sings "Unforgettable" softly from the stereo…perfection.  
  
As his footsteps proceeds up the stairs, she quickly climbs on the bed and attempts to strike a sexy pose. After a few poses, she settles on one and nervously waits for him to open the door and sweep her off her feet.   
  
Nevertheless, in the back of her mind, a saddening little thought keeps nagging at her as doubts seeps through her veins and replaces her existing anxiety.   
.   
The end of an affair is drawing near and she has no idea how to let this go…   



	2. Part One: 1993

Part One  
  
April 23, 1993  
  
"…That's why darling, its incredible, that someone so unforgettable, thinks that I am…unforgettable too…"  
  
Unaware that she is dangerously out of tune, Monica sings, or rather, shouts into the air as she put one of her long legs on the edge of the tub and squeezes soapy water leisurely upon it with a sponge.  
  
She has been in this state for more than an hour now. The water is getting cold and her skin is getting wrinkly but she is reluctant to get out. The way she sees it is that she deserves to behave as self-destructively and as sluttishly as she wishes. What better day to let go of her inhibitions than her birthday?  
  
In fact, she plans to indulge in all seven deadly sins after she finish her bath…that is if she doesn't drown or die of hypothermia first.   
  
Oh who is she kidding? She sighs dejectedly and submerged her head beneath the water.  
  
Another year, another birthday, another failed relationship.   
  
She was a fool to think that her single days are finally over and her plan to be married before the age of 25 might actually be fulfilled…  
  
At the rate she is going, it'd be a long time before she is emotionally well enough to get into another relationship again. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if she is still single when she's forty.  
  
She emerges from the water and rubs her face troublesomely. Is she some kind of a jerk magnet? How come all the men she's gone out with are either alcoholics, people with girlfriends or worst, commitment-phobics? When is she going to form a functional relationship with a responsible adult?  
  
Just when she ponders over the possibility of entering a nunnery, strange footsteps are echoed outside the hall.  
  
What the hell? There is no way her parents would come out here in April at this time of the day.   
  
Alarmingly, she gets out of the tub, wraps a towel around her body and grabs the most effective weapon available in sight: a bottle of Lysol.   
  
She creeps into the hall with the can of air freshener in her hand, ready to spray at whoever it is straight in the eyes. She vaguely reproaches herself for being paranoid. However, her heart is beating so wildly that she can't even tell between the footsteps and the violent thuds against her chest.   
  
Like a bad horror movie comes to life, a startling cold hand settles upon her shoulder and she literally jumps out of her skin. In a moment of blind frenzy, she clogs the intruder in the ribs, squirts madly into his face and knees him in the groin. Without glancing back at him, she runs like she has never run before.  
  
The second her hand reaches the front doorknob, the door opens abruptly and Monica finds herself standing face to face with her brother and his wife. Scared out of her wits, she runs into her sister-in-law's arms.  
  
"Whoa!! Easy there, easy…" Carol coos as she rubs her back soothingly.   
  
"Mon?" Ross asks incredulously at the same time, "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Someone is in the house! Call the police! Someone is in the house!" Ignoring his question, she yells frantically while Carol continues to comfort her.   
  
"Y…you mean Chandler?" Ross stutters, confused over his sister's presence and her dishevelled state.  
  
Disbelievingly, she pushes her sister-in-law away and states, "Why the hell would Chandler be here?"  
  
"I thought I told you before. We're going to have a double date…weekend sort of thing but…" Ross pauses suddenly, hesitant to bring up such a sensitive subject, "Well, you know what happened between him and Grace. We don't want him to be alone so we just told him to come with us anyway."   
  
"Yeah, I told him to come in through the backdoor with the suitcases while Ross and I take a look at the beach." Carol adds points to two small suitcases sitting against the kitchen counter.  
  
"Oh shit!" Monica gasps and puts her hand over her mouth. As she absorbs the fact that she has just clogged, possibly blinded and sterilized one of her best friends, Chandler's painful groans can be heard in the hallway.   
  
Ross and Carol hurry to check him out immediately, leaving a stupefied and a half-naked Monica at the door. Guiltily, and yet sneakily, she slips into her room a few feet away from the "crime scene" in order to put on some clothes.   
  
When she returns, the commotion has already moved from the hallway to the living room. She walks in gingerly, only to see Chandler lying on the couch with Carol wiping his face tenderly while Ross fusses around him with a pack of ice and a pillow. She halts instantaneously.   
  
All the guilt, all the shame, just disappears into thin air as anger and jealousy flood through her body.   
  
What about her? Why are they giving HIM all the attention? She practically went through the same thing he went through! Okay, so she didn't get kicked in the most delicate part of one's body but still…  
  
Her emotional wound is much more severe than his physical pain.  
  
Chandler and Grace weren't even in a committed relationship while she and kip have been seriously dating for more than six months.   
  
"Well, well, well! If it isn't Miss Odour-Out!" Chandler interrupts her thoughts. He stares at her bitterly with only one eye opened.  
  
"Honey, you should thank me! Now you smell like a decent human being AND you're germ-free!" She retorts.   
  
"Monica!" Ross scolds, astonished.  
  
"What?" she glares at her brother, "It was his fault! It is dark outside already and he walked around the house without any lights on! If he didn't scare the hell out of me, then I wouldn't have hit him!"  
  
"Yes, the world revolves around Monica Geller." Anger begins to rise in the pit of his stomach as he shoves Carol's hands away and sits up with immense effort. "Thanks to you, I'll smell like 'Summer Rain' for the rest of my life!"  
  
Monica looks so insulted at his comment that she fires back, "That's 'The Romance of Gardenia'! I would NEVER use 'Summer Rain'!"  
  
"Oh, that makes everything okay then." Ross mumbles to himself. He stops immediately when Carol shushes him, signalling that this is none of his business and she wants to see what happens next.  
  
Chandler stands up and faces her challengingly.  
  
"You owe me an apology." He demands.  
  
"Like hell I do!" she adopts her David-Vs-Goliath look and glance back up at him stubbornly, "You started it first."   
  
She is no longer referring to the 'Lysol' incident anymore. For an instant, Chandler feels sorry for her and actually considers apologizing to her. However, it lasts for only a second before his vanity returns in full force.  
  
Why does she have to win every time?   
  
He lost somebody that has the full potential to be 'the one' for him, somebody that he actually liked and cared for a great deal. Just because they weren't as committed as Monica and Kip does not mean that it didn't hurt.   
  
This is one argument that she can't win. No, he won't let her.  
  
"Look, maybe you live in a perfect world but from where I come from, shit happens. You think I WANTED let my roommate and my girlfriend hook up? Did I jump for joy when you caught them in the act on MY bed? You are not the only injured party here, Monica."  
  
"You shouldn't introduce your slutty girlfriend to my boyfriend in the first place!" Monica counters irrationally.   
  
Full of spite, he retaliates, "Can you BE more selfish? The last time I checked it takes two to tango; and quite frankly, I can see why he strayed. You are so goddamn difficult!"  
  
All three Gellers gasp collectively. As soon as he sees tears forming in her eyes, he wishes he could swallow his words back. Nevertheless, his pride acts like a hard shield around his heart and he cannot, for the life of him, back down now.  
  
Monica cannot believe it. The words themselves don't hurt as much if they didn't come out of his mouth. How can he be so insensitive?  
  
She has to actually remind herself that murder is illegal in all states and its minimum punishment is life in prison in order to keep her self-control in check. She looks at him again only to stare into his stone cold eyes. There is not one bit of emotion in them, just contempt. She cannot restrain herself anymore.  
  
Chandler merely feels the tingly heat on his face when she runs out of the house. It is a while before he realizes that she did indeed slap him and its full impact rushes into his senses all at once.   
  
He rubs his reddened cheek and looks at Ross and Carol shamefully. Not knowing how to deal with the situation, they are looking blankly back at him.  
  
"Well, I guess I deserved that." He mutters and Ross nods sympathetically.  
  
"Ice?" Carol hands him the bag uncomfortably.  
  
***  
  
Two and half hours later, Monica comes back downheartedly to the beach house, soaked from head to toe from the pouring rain that sneaked up on her just before she enters the premise.  
  
"Ugh!" She complains as her shoes forms a large puddle on the floor. Instinctively, she takes off her t-shirt to wipe it away.  
  
Then, she carefully waddles into the house only to be confronted by darkness. Relieved at her friends' absence, she heads thoughtlessly straight to the bathroom and opens the door.  
  
For the second time that night, she is yet again terrified by the sight in front of her. Standing before her, like a deer caught in headlight, is Chandler, stark naked Chandler.  
  
"Hey!" Scarlet faced, he covers his privates with the towel.  
  
Dumbfounded, she just keeps staring at him, t-shirt in hand, with her mouth wide open. That's too much Chandler for one day! Even though she is still furious at him, she has to admit that she is pleasantly surprised; but what is that…thingy between his nipples?  
  
As she continues to watch him in scrutiny, Chandler's temper increasingly grows along with embarrassment. It is not that she sees him naked, it is the way she examines him, like he's some kind of freak of nature or something. He has never felt so…violated in all of his twenty-five years.  
  
Unaware of his burgeoning anger, or of the fact she is only in her bra, Monica steps toward him to take a closer look. She is absolutely fascinated.  
  
"Is that a…" she inquires as she points at his supposed 'nubbin'.  
  
"Get out." He warns through his gritted teeth.  
  
"But that's a…"  
  
"GET. OUT." He orders loudly with a menacing tone.  
  
Startled, she pulls her hand away quickly and takes a step back.   
  
"I didn't mean to walk in on you. But Hey! If it makes you feel any better, I'm only in my bra…" she starts to babble away and halts immediately when she notices his expression.  
  
He is deadly serious. If looks could kill, she would've died of the most violent and painful death already.   
  
"Yeah I'll go now." Frightened, she lowers her head and backs out of the room clumsily, hitting the waste bin and the door along the way.   
  
***  
  
Fully dressed and somewhat composed, Chandler reluctantly enters the living room. Just as he expected, Monica is slaving away in the kitchen. She knows that he's in the room but was too uncomfortable and angry to acknowledge his presence.   
  
She's now in her PJ's but her hair is still wet.  
  
In an attempt to irritate her, he leans on the counter and observes her silently, knowing fully well that she hates being watched.   
  
"Where is Ross and Carol?" she asks obligatorily, still with her back to him.  
  
"They went back to New York." He replies coldly, "Carol's friend, Susan or something, is in the hospital because she twisted her ankle in the gym."  
  
"She couldn't wait until tomorrow?" Monica thinks aloud and turns around. Her eyes are evidently working hard not to wander lower than his neck.  
  
"Well, they are apparently a lot closer than we think and Ross didn't seem to mind."  
  
"Oh." After an awkward silence, she questions crossly, "Then why are you here? Shouldn't you go back with them or something?"   
  
She can't help it. Whenever she looks at him, she just becomes so…agitated. Their previous encounter does not lessen their tension and hostility at all; it only intensifies it.  
  
"I am here because your brother wants me to be the messenger and to keep an eye on you!" He explains harshly.  
  
"I don't need YOU to take care of me!" she states antagonistically.   
  
"You know what? That's it." He puts up his hands frustratingly before heading to his room.  
  
"What are you doing?" she demands and follows him.  
  
"I am leaving." He declares and picks up his bag, which, in typical Chandler fashion, is still unpacked.  
  
"You are not going anywhere in this weather!" She grabs hold of his bag bossily.   
  
"Beats staying here with you!" he snaps and yanks his hand away from her.  
  
Determinedly, she blocks the hall and says, "If you want go get struck by lightening that's fine. Do it on your own time. But you are not going to do it on my account!"  
  
Upon her remark, he chuckles ironically, "You think too highly of yourself, Monica."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" she put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Oh look, I am Monica!" He imitates satirically, "I am the only person that has feelings in the universe! My boyfriend cheated on me; so everyone has to faze him out! And God forbid, Chandler must kick his roommate out no matter how unreasonable that sounds. Why? Because I'm always right!"   
  
Like a heated boiler, she is seething. Once again, she reminds herself that murder is illegal in all states and the minimum sentence is life in prison. In addition, she has to tell herself that he is not worth serving such punishment in order to refrain from causing him bodily harm…again. Nevertheless, her competitive self would NOT let him have the last word.   
  
As a result, she walks toward him so that they are only inches apart and says with an eerie calmness, "Fuck you."  
  
He stares straight into her fiery blue eyes with his own and states challengingly, "Go ahead."  
  
He asked for it.   
  
Before he realizes what is happening, Monica tackles him onto the floor and straddles him. Swiftly, she jams her month onto his.   
  
As his blood quickly flows from his brain to his penis, Chandler is too occupied by lust to think about their actions and he readily succumbs to her sudden ministrations.   
  
Rather than verbal assaults, their tongues are now battling in the most primitive way.   
  
Quite literally, he gives her the "go ahead" to "fuck" him…and so she shall.  
  
***  
  
Three condoms later, they lie naked in the middle of the hallway, wrapped contently in each other's arms while their cloths are thrown messily around them. All the pent up hurt and anger are now temporarily out of their minds as they rest in euphoria.  
  
Monica circles her finger around his 'nubbin' and comments giddily, "I didn't know you have a third nipple."  
  
"Trust me, its not something a man should be proud of." Chandler responds casually.  
  
"Why not?" She asks and gently nibbles upon it before concluding, "I think its kind of sexy."  
  
"Yeah well, you are not normal." He looks at her affectionately and continues, "I've never met anyone who ends an argument by having sex…and with ME of all people!" He pauses thoughtfully and then adds, "Gee Mon, you must be really depressed!"  
  
Taking a deep breath, she explains, "I'm not upset over that fact that he cheated on me…" she hesitates when he gives her a doubtful look, and clarifies, "not anymore. I'm just…we've been together for months and whenever I mention the word marriage, he acts like its the end of the world. When he broke up with me, he told me that it wasn't me, it was him. But he's only known Grace for a few weeks and now they're engaged! So it kind of implies that it IS me!"  
  
Chandler takes her hand and kisses her knuckles reassuringly. He plays with those slender fingers for a while and finally confesses, "You know, she is the first woman that I can actually imagine a future with."  
  
Sulkily, she states, "Ugh! I hope they'll get married, have kids, become fat and have to be lifted out of their window by a crane!"  
  
"Don't say that." He chuckles and kisses her forehead, "Look Mon, I don't know how to say this but…well, you don't deserve him. You are a wonderful human being, quite hard to take sometimes, but you don't deserve a cheater. And someday, you are going to meet some guy that truly appreciates you for you and you will wonder why you are so upset now."  
  
She smiles, "You know, you really don't give yourself enough credit."  
  
As a silent 'thank you', she leans up against him and kisses his lips softly. After the feathery kisses ends, she says, "And I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For not being fair to you; for being angry at you even though you didn't do anything. I have no right to ask you to kick him out of the apartment when I know it is inconvenient for you…when I know that you couldn't really afford the place all by yourself right now. I'm sorry."   
  
He grins goofily and replies, "Well I wasn't really being fair to you either. So I guess we're even."  
  
They lay peacefully for an undisclosed amount of time. The rain is still pounding the window while the wind howls incessantly. Both of them are thinking about the same thing but are reluctant to ruin their enchanted evening.   
  
"What now?" Monica breaks the silence nervously.  
  
"What what now?" He counters, deliberately delaying the inevitable.  
  
"You know perfectly well what what now." She rolls her eyes, "What are we going to do about us?"   
  
Chandler ponders for a moment and states resolutely, "Let's…let's just leave it be. We are both on the rebound and that's not really a good place to start a relationship right now. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to be with you but this is too soon, you know?"  
  
Relieved, Monica let out a sigh. Although being more than friends with Chandler would be wonderful, but they are not emotionally ready to carry this on, not after what happened to both of them. She doesn't want them to be together under these circumstances. The timing is simply wrong.  
  
"Friends?" he asks lightly, as if he can read her thoughts.   
  
She gazes into his eyes, which reflect a comforting reassurance. Through understanding, he silently promises her that he will always be there when she needs him. At that instant, she knows that, lovers or not, they will be friends forever.  
  
"Yeah…Friends." She smirks and settles her head back onto his chest. Another moment of silence ensues.  
  
"Mon?"  
  
"Hum." She responds sleepily.  
  
"Happy Birthday."  



	3. Part Two: 1994

Author's note- Hey guys! Yes, I actually updated...this story is a stress reliever for me so expect it to be updated regulartly. I posted it this morning in a hurry that I forgot to give some people credits for this story. Special thanks go to Jjaks for his fine job of editing and creativeness; and the people who actually own friends, who give us many laughs every Thursday night for the past seven years.  
  
Part Two  
  
April 23, 1994  
  
It is so beautiful here.  
  
Monica digs her toe into the cool sand and takes a look around her. The waves crash one on top of the other, composing the ever-comforting music of nature. The sea glitters while lovers tread through it playfully along the shore.  
  
She takes a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent in. She has been living in the city for so long that she never stops to appreciate scenery like this, which is probably why she decides to return to the beach house on her twenty-fifth birthday.   
  
It is quite an uneventful year, depending on how she looks at it. She still lives in the same apartment, hangs around with almost the same people and works at the same place. However, there are also a few noticeable changes.   
  
Kip got married and moved out without even a word of notice several weeks after her last birthday. She wasn't really surprised, especially not after learning that Grace was pregnant. If everything went smoothly, they probably had the baby in January already. When she started to look back at that incident in the third person's perspective, it was obvious that they truly love each another…his eyes lit up every time they lay upon her.   
  
Ross and Carol are still married. Nevertheless, they seem to be drifting apart lately. Carol spends more and more time in the gym with Susan while Ross divides his time between the museum and karate (or karatae as he calls it) classes.   
  
Speaking of marriages, she ran into her high school best friend a few days ago and she proudly, or rather smugly, announced that she is engaged.  
  
"He's a dentist." She remembers her declaring snootily.   
  
She sighs and starts to walk back to the house. It seems like everyone is moving forward but her.  
  
She is living alone again. Her former roommate moved out because her constant obsession with tidiness drove her crazy. Apparently, she concealed her move quite well. It took Monica quite some time before she realized that she didn't live there anymore. Regardless of what happened, they are still on good terms and she loves her flaky friend dearly.  
  
Chandler has a new roommate.  
  
Monica can't help but chuckles as the image of Joey Tribianni appears in her mind. He is certainly one of a kind. While undoubtedly handsome, the unemployed actor is certainly not the brightest crayon in the box.   
  
She remembers her second encounter with him. To this day, she still can't figure out how he mixed up an invitation to lemonade with an invitation to sex. Nevertheless, Joey turned out to be an amazingly loyal friend. Moreover, he gets on extremely well with Chandler. Somehow, he becomes the brother that he never had.  
  
She is glad about their newfound friendship. Before Joey moved in, Chandler spent most, if not all, of his time with her. While they usually talk, play scrabbles and watch movies, they never really get to do some of the macho stuff that he and Joey do. With the exception of his introduction to Baywatch, Joey's influence is good for him. He is livelier nowadays…even his jokes are funnier.  
  
A sentimental smile creeps into her face when she thinks about Chandler. They had certainly come a long way.  
  
The morning that followed their magical night, Monica woke up alone. She didn't know if she was relieved or disappointed at his absence. Despite their decision to remain friends, it is extremely hard to pretend that nothing has changed when in fact everything is already different. Both of them are not the kind of people that screw around and earth-shattering sex, the kind that they experienced, is not nothing.  
  
A several days passed before she saw him again. Even then, the air was awkward between them. She didn't know how to act around him. How to be friendly without being TOO friendly? Even before her 24th birthday, the line between friends and something more is always ambiguous to them. Consequently, she just kept minimal contact with him. As for Chandler, he avoided her, period.   
  
Fortunately, the others thought they were still fighting over the Kip incident that they didn't really notice the real reason behind their tension.  
  
In the end, it was Kip's departure that linked them together again. It is ironic how the man who tore their friendship apart is the same one that mended it. Gradually, they were back to where they started: best friends.   
  
Nevertheless, that doesn't mean she doesn't want to throw him on the kitchen table and do him right then and there sometimes. Thankfully, she is smart enough to understand that the timing is disastrous. It was so difficult to get things back to normal. Is it really a good idea to mess them up again? No, it is far better to keep things the way they are supposed to be.  
  
As she approaches the house, she silently makes a birthday resolution to herself.   
  
This year, she will not to sulk about her life, or lack thereof, anymore. This year, she will not take things for granted and hold grudges. She will live life to the fullest and be satisfied with what she's got.  
  
She sighs and shakes her head again. It would be nice if she can keep these promises. Though it is highly likely that she would forget about them all by the next day, just like she did with all the other resolutions. Life just doesn't work that way. But just the same, she will continue to try.  
  
"I knew you would be here." A familiar voice interrupts her thoughts.  
  
Startled, Monica looks up to find Chandler sitting on the porch steps. For the first time in months, she recognizes that uncomfortable grin on his face. It is evident that he's been waiting for her for quite some time, during which he remembers what happened in the house last year. And yet…what is he doing here?  
  
Upon seeing her puzzled expression, he smiles and stands up slowly, wiping dirt off his pants while doing so.  
  
"I need to get you home, NOW." He tells her straight away.   
  
"Is something wrong?" the urgent sound of his voice worries her.  
  
He ponders for a moment before finally giving up, "They're throwing you a surprise party and when you didn't show up, I figure that you must be here. They're kinda bummed, you know? Especially Joey…its his first time throwing a surprise party."  
  
"I know." She tells him quietly after a moment.  
  
"How?" Now its his turn to be puzzled.  
  
She giggles before replying, "Well, its kind of obvious when Joey came to ask me about where to buy a cake for 'his' birthday. When I reminded him that his birthday passed two months ago, he told me that he actually needed it for one of his non-existent cast-mates from his imaginary play."  
  
"I TOLD him not to ask!" He exclaims bitterly.  
  
A moment of silent curses passes before he remembers his real purpose in finding Monica.  
  
"Its okay." He tells himself and turns to Monica, "Its not too late. They are still waiting…we have to go home right now."  
  
He takes her hand and begins to drag her toward the main road.  
  
"Stop it!" She shakes her hand away from his forcefully. "Does it ever occur to you that MAYBE I don't want to go to a fake surprise party? Do you even stop to think that maybe this is not an occasion to celebrate for?"  
  
"Well, I try not to think on weekends." he winks at her knowingly.  
  
"Its Thursday." she reminds him agitatedly.  
  
"Same difference." he replies nonchalently and takes her hand once again eagerly, "Now, let's get you to your party!"  
  
"What IS it with you and the party?" she yanks him back with her freakish strength.  
  
Reluctantly, he admits, "Okay, Joey's got this really cool Baywatch cake and I want to get one of the nipples before both him and Ross get to them first..."  
  
He's got to be kidding.   
  
"Then what are you doing here?" she exclaims, annoyed at his childish behavior, and continues, "Take the nipple and leave me alone!"  
  
"I would! But Phoebe wouldn't let us touch them unless you're there...I mean, it IS your birthday." he pauses for a while, as if to calm himself down from an emotional breakdown, and informs her, "She said she'll give Pamela a nasty breast reduction if we come near it."  
  
Monica closes her eyes and let out a sigh. She can feel that same old mixture of irritation and amazement churning in the pit of her stomach. She puts her hand on her face and sits on the porch dejectedly.  
  
"Chandler," she looks up at him wearily, "why don't you just..go? Tell Phoebe that I'm not coming and...and go have your cream boobs."   
  
For the first time since he saw her, Chandler abandons his plans. He softens as he takes a seat beside her to find out what is upsetting her.   
  
"Hey," he touches her cheek tenderly and asks, "What's wrong?"  
  
She contemplates while fidgeting her fingers. After a few seconds, she finally confesses, "It my 25th birthday, you know?"  
  
"Hence, your friends are throwing you a party!" he points out the obvious exasperatingly.  
  
"Ugh! You are not helping!" she drops her head on her knees frustratingly.   
  
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry." he places his hand on her shoulder reassuringly and prompts her to continue, "Its your birthday...go on."  
  
She stares out at the sea for a while to formulate her thoughts and resumes her confession.  
  
"Ever since I was a little girl, I have this plan to be married by the time I am 25. And now I'm here…" she sighs, "well, do you see a ring on my finger? I don't even have a boyfriend for God's sake!"  
  
His hand leaves her back quickly as he muses, "That's it? That's all you're fretting about?"  
  
"What do you mean 'that's it'?" she counters, offended that he takes her dilemma so lightly.  
  
"That's is a very trivial thing to sweat over...considering all the other shits that go on in the world, like poverty, another world war, propagandas, governmental conspiracies..." he stops when he notices that she is now looking at him strangely.  
  
"I've been watching X-files..." he smiles feebly. Then, as if to explain himself further, he adds, "Dana Scully is hot."  
  
"Are you sure its not Mulder that you're looking at?" she asks slyly.  
  
He ponders seriously as he strokes his chin, and finally comments, "Alright, I admit it. Mulder is one complex hunk of a man."  
  
Upon his "confession", Monica laughs uncontrollably as she pulls him into a hug. She just can't help it. She breaks away and studies him more closely. He always possesses this...stupidly humorous way of making her smile.  
  
"Man, I needed that!" she wipes a tear is a direct result of laughing so hard.  
  
Triumphantly, he kisses her forehead lightly and say, "No problem, just remember that life never goes as we planned. Look at me, I thought this job of mine is only temporary. Who would've thought that I am still a data processor after four years!"  
  
"That's because you are too afraid and lazy to find another job." She argues.  
  
"Hey!" he says defensively before shrugging in agreement a second later, "Eh, you're right."  
  
"I just…" she sighs, her mood becomes sober again, "I feel like everyone is moving ahead, doing important things while I am on a stand still. My parents put Ross on a pedestal because he is married with a successful job. And Kip, he's married with a kid. Even Rachel is getting married!"  
  
He takes a deep breath in preparation to reason with her, "Your parents are just plain stupid. Studying animals that died over billions of years ago is just as unproductive as me being a data processor. The only difference is that Ross actually likes his job. Besides, his marriage is on the rocks anyway. Kip got married because he knocked Grace up and Rachel... who the hell is Rachel?"   
  
"Rachel was my best friend in high school!" Monica says incredulously, "You met her a couple of times before. She was in Central Perk just a few days ago...you even hit on her, remember?"  
  
As realization dawns on his face, so does embarrassment.  
  
"I didn't hit on her!" he denies.  
  
"'I dropped my ball'?" Monica quotes his pick-up line, "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."  
  
"She sounded desperate!" he defends, "She said she wants to have meaningless sex with the next man she sees! A guy's got to do something..."  
  
"Well, whatever you were aiming for, you missed." she pats his back sympathetically.   
  
"Look, I know nothing about Rachel." he ignores her remarks, " but I know one thing is for sure: her marriage will fail."   
  
"Chandler, that's mean!"  
  
"So, what's your point?"  
  
Baffled at his indifference, she finally utters, "You don't even know her!"  
  
"Oh this comes from the woman who wishes her ex-boyfriend and his wife to be so fat that they have to be lifted out of the house by a crane last year!" He states sarcastically and continues, "Look, all I am saying is that nothing is perfect. You don't even realize how lucky you are! You have a job that you actually like, a big apartment in the Village that you can afford and you have great friends…they went through a lot to plan this party, you know."  
  
Monica stares at him shamefully. There she was, complaining about her life when she just promised herself to appreciate it not even ten minutes ago. He's right. She is really lucky to have friends like him.   
  
"I can't believe you came all the way here just to find me…" She changes the subject, "especially after what happened last year."  
  
It takes him a while to figure out what she is referring to. He usually tries not to remember that specific event. It was too hard to actually be her friend again without undressing her with his eyes and he wants to keep it that way.   
  
"Eh!" he replies awkwardly, "It's the least I can do. Are you feeling better now? Do you want to go?"  
  
"Uh…yes and no." she gives him a lopsided grin, "I do feel better now but I don't really want to go home. I want to have a quiet evening."  
  
"Oh! I understand." He prepares to leave, "I'll…uh…I'll leave you alone then."  
  
As he stands up to leave, Monica grabs his hand lightly. A crazy idea comes to her all of a sudden. While she wants to spend her birthday peacefully, she doesn't want to spend it alone.  
  
"Do you…I mean…can you stay here? And keep me company?" she pleads.  
  
Surprised, Chandler runs his hand through his hair. Did she ask him what he thinks she ask him? Or did she just ask him to stay?   
  
"I don't know, Mon. Joey's got a big cake." He jokes lightly. Better be safe for being oblivious than be sorry for assuming implications that are not implied in the first place.  
  
"So you'd rather eat cake than spend time with me?" she pretends to be cross with him.   
  
"Well, they DO have nipples."  
  
Mischievously, Monica runs her fingers down his arm and whispers in his ear flirtatiously, "I have something much better than that."   
  
"I don't think it's a good idea, Mon." He answers hesitantly, "It is a tempting offer, really, but I don't want the sex to mess up our relationship again."  
  
"No silly! I don't mean THAT!" she chuckles, "Are you crazy? I have ice-cream in the fridge."  
  
"Oh. That's mean."   
  
"Hey, I am not responsible for your mind being in the gutter." she bickers before returning to the subject again, "So, what do you say?"  
  
Suspiciously, he looks at her for a long time as he considers about what to do. It is not that he doesn't trust her; on the contrary, it is HIMSELF that he doesn't trust. Being back into the house, especially with all the memories fresh in his mind, he is not sure if he can handle being around her without doing something stupid like…jumping on her...   
  
"I have Ben & Jerry's." she further entices him.  
  
That seems to seal the deal.  
  
"What am I going to tell the others?" he asks in the end.   
  
"Just call and tell 'em that you hooked up with a girl or something!" she solves the problem proudly.  
  
Now it is his turn to laugh uncontrollably. However, unlike genuine laughter, his fades rather immediately.  
  
"No, seriously." he says after a second of silence.  
  
"Boy, you really don't give yourself enough credit, do you? Come on Chandler! Stay with me!" she watches him understandingly. Half reading his mind, she says, "Look, you don't have to worry about…you know…I swear that I won't even touch you!"  
  
***  
  
"You are such a liar!" Chandler pants heavily as Monica snuggles next to him.  
  
They are lying in the narrow space between the couch and the coffee table, completely spent. Evidently, they didn't even have time to make it to the bedroom in the heat of the moment.  
  
"You know I was never good at promises." She interrupts, "Besides, I didn't hear you complaining a few minutes ago."  
  
"Something was IN my mouth at the moment. Plus, if I remember it correctly, Ms. Geller," he kisses the top of her head and continues smugly, "I wasn't the one who said, 'NOW, Chandler, NOW!'"  
  
She slaps him playfully.   
  
"You were thinking it!" she states knowingly.   
  
In truth, she doesn't even know what happened. Okay, they had sex…again; that part she knows. But the stuff leading up to the sex is kind of fuzzy. One minute they were fighting for the TV remote control, the next minute, while the contestants are yelling out alphabets on "Wheel of Fortune", they were making out heavily on the floor. One thing led to another…  
  
So far, there is nothing quiet about this birthday.   
  
"So I guess I did hook up with a girl." He says thoughtfully before asking, "Seriously Mon, what are we doing?"  
  
"I don't know." She kisses his chest and says, "Maybe it is this day or maybe it's the house…have you seen that movie…oh…I forgot what its called…" she abruptly switches the subject, "…it is about a guy and a girl. They meet up in some cottage once a year to have a romantic evening. Then, they'll go back to their respective lives the next day…what its name?"  
  
"You mean 'Same Time Next Year'?" he asks, wondering where she's going with this.  
  
"Yeah, that's it! That's the one I was talking about. It's a good movie, don't you think?" her eyes, suddenly childlike, is looking at him excitedly. Chandler can't help but to kiss them tenderly, one lid after another.  
  
"Yeah." He answers softly, "Is there any point to this?"  
  
"Let's do that!" she suggests.  
  
"What? You mean coming here every year and..." when he is answered by the furious nodding of her head, he sighs and rationalizes, "Monica, that's a movie; this is real life."  
  
"What movie isn't inspired by real life events?" she debates, "Let's face it. We can't control ourselves but we can't continue this back home either…unless you want to."   
  
She gazes at him nervously. They've had this conversation before. She knows that Chandler is not at the place to commit to anyone, including his best friend, right now. The last thing she wants to do is to force him to get into something that he doesn't really want get into.   
  
He pushes her head gently back to his chest and strokes her hair silently. As she listens to his heartbeats, Monica grows more and more impatient.  
  
He hugs her closer to him. He can't believe it. What he thought was a one time thing became two and now Monica wants to continue it every year. Part of him is excited about her offer, another part of him, the conscious part of him, knew that this…thing would not come to any good.  
  
"I don't want to do anything that both you and I will regret." He says after a long while, "I don't want to ruin our friendship."  
  
Monica sighs, just as she's expected, he is too afraid to begin anything serious. Nevertheless, she recovers quickly enough to rationalize with him, "It won't ruin our friendship. Listen, something is causing us to lose control...twice in a row. Would it be so bad if we just take one day of the year to cross the line without feeling guilty about it?"   
  
"I need to think about this, okay?"   
  
"Alright, you think about it." She decides resolutely, "In fact, I'll give you a year. If you show up here next year, I take that you accept my offer. If you don't…well…I'll understand. Deal?"  
  
Chandler caresses her cheek and her jaw line with his thumb before he agrees, "Deal." He says gently.  
  
"Good!" she responds lightly, "Now, with all the small talks out of the way, let's…" she raises her eyebrows provocatively as her hand travels slowly from his chest to his stomach and further down south.  
  
Alert and aroused, he licks his lips and looks at her seductively. His eyes are downright lustful.  
  
"Let's make the most out of your birthday." He finishes her sentence huskily as he brings her face down and captures her mouth with his own.  
  
They explore each other's mouth thoroughly, before he kisses her cheeks, her neck and up her ear.  
  
"Happy 25th." he breathes as he nibbles on her ear. She responds by letting out a small moan.  
  
"By the way, can I return your present and keep the cash?"  



	4. Part Three: 1995

Author's Note- Part Three! We are finally getting into the first season! Yay! Note that some elements of this story follows the actual show while others don't. Just think of it as an alternate universe, okay? Anyway, I have get the legal stuff out of the way...the characters are not mine...and you know the rest. Seriously, I am getting tired of this. If I own these characters, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction, I would be writing for the show...okay, I am babbling. Its one o'clock in the morning and I am babbling...yeah I'll stop so that you can get on with the story.  
  
Oh, I think this part is rated more R than PG-13...but its all in good fun. Once again, I would like to thank Jjaks for his help. All the actually-funny lines belong to him. The try-to-be-funny-but-not-really-nailing-it lines are mine.   
  
***   
  
Part Three  
  
April 23, 1995  
  
Why is he torturing himself like this?  
  
Chandler twists his pen thoughtlessly as he stares at meaningless numbers on his computer screen. He takes a look around his cubicle, which, to him, is just a padded cell without a door, and slams his pen on the table. This isn't an office; this is Hell with fluorescent lighting!  
  
He could be out on the beach, making love to the sexiest woman he knows in real life.   
  
Then what the hell is he doing here?   
  
Chandler stands up abruptly and begins to gather his stuff. He's out of here.  
  
"Don't even think about it buddy...for your sanity's sake, don't even go there." He pauses in mid action when an inner voice warns him. Funny, he doesn't know that his conscience is Hindu…  
  
Besides, she probably forgets all about the pact already. If she doesn't, then she most likely changes her mind about it anyway. For she never mention the subject again after their second rendezvous. In fact, she acts like nothing has happened and treats him the same way as she did before.   
  
In fact, he only remembers their agreement a week ago when Rachel mentioned something about buying a present for Monica's birthday. Since then, all of his angsts just came flooding back, pressuring him to make and stick to a very difficult decision.  
  
In a futile attempt to forget what this day could've been and do the wise thing, he slumps back down on his chair and unenthusiastically gets back to his WENUS.   
  
Not even five minutes have passed before he abandons his work for something much more interesting: the "primitive" web. Nonetheless, as he surfs through the porn world under his fingertips, every stimulating image of unfamiliar women seems to magically transform into a very exotic Monica. Automatically, the words birthday, beaches and sex causes certain part of his body to protest against his decision.   
  
"Stop it Chandler! Stop it!" he shakes his head wildly and reproaches himself.  
  
As a result of his sudden psychotic outburst, many heads of curious co-workers pop up over the walls of their cubicle, in manner of prairie dogs, to see what's going on.  
  
An ohnosecond, that miniscule fraction of time where he realizes that he has just made a HUGE fool of himself, passes before he looks around and grins stupidly.  
  
"I just had a schizophrenic episode…" he jokes casually, "...we're okay now."  
  
Quite pathetically, they all nod indifferently and return to their own boredom. It is no wonder why he hates this job. After five years, he'd think he would be doing something important by now. Oh well, he thought he wanted a career, turns out that he just wanted the increasing paycheques.   
  
Dejectedly, he plops his head on his hand and let his mind wanders away again.  
  
Who, besides Joey, would've thought that Carol is a lesbian?   
  
Poor Ross. There is nothing more insulting to one's manhood than having his wife leaving him for another woman. But then again, how could he not see the signs? Surely he must have sense that she has a tendency to "bat for the other team". He must have caught her checking out other women at some point or another; and all the trips to the "gym" with Susan…could he BE any less oblivious?   
  
On a somewhat brighter note, Ross is going to be a father.   
  
A shudder runs through Chandler's body just thinking about how this kid would turn out. Hell, he would know. He has a father who runs a club named "Viva Las Gaygas" and goes by the name: Helena...or Madonna...sometimes Isabella or Penelope, Diana and Olivia.  
  
In addition, as if there aren't enough problems already, now his friend spends day after day pining for Rachel, his former high school crush, who is too busy trying to do the whole independent thing to notice him as more than a friend.  
  
Chandler never thought that his friend would end up like this. Between the two of them, Ross is always the more responsible man. It is scary to think that someone who works so damn hard to achieve his dreams would still get the shaft in the end.  
  
For a brief moment, his thoughts linger on Rachel. He can't help but smirks smugly and pats himself on the back every time he thinks about her. Not only did his prediction about her nuptial come true, but it never even happened at all. She ran out on her own wedding in the last minute and sought refugee at Monica's apartment.   
  
If only Phoebe knew about his incredible psychic abilities…  
  
A shrilling ring of the phone interrupts his pointless "mind-trip". After a few clumsy attempts, he finally manages to picks up the receiver.  
  
"Chandler Bing." He answers robotically.  
  
"Times up, Bing." A sexy voice murmurs into his ear.  
  
"Hey mom." He greets half-heartedly, barely holding back a sigh, "How are you?"  
  
"I don't know about your mom but I really, really miss the Chan-love." the voice says huskily.  
  
His eyes snaps wide opened and hangs up the phone immediately.   
  
Jesus Christ!  
  
She remembers. Those two little words keeps replaying themselves in his brain over and over again.  
  
She remembers and she still hasn't changed her mind.  
  
Like waiting for a bomb to detonate, Chandler stares at the phone warily. Just as he expected, it rings again. He swallows hardly as he puts his hand on the receiver. This is it. This is the time to practice random acts of intelligence and senseless acts of self-control.   
Gingerly, he picks the phone up again. However, his throat suddenly becomes so dry that he can't even utter a word.  
  
"I am waiting for you…" Monica says seductively.  
  
"Not now Monica, I am working." He informs her as coolly as he can, hardly recognizing his own voice.  
  
"Doing what? Playing Tetris?" she teases.  
  
"It is not just regular Tetris, it is super Tetris!" he babbles.  
  
"Now why would you wanna do that when you can come here and play with me?" She giggles, obviously enjoying this immensely. She had already learned from past experiences that there is nothing more entertaining than making Chandler squirm.  
  
"You are not being fair!" he whispers desperately.  
  
"Who says anything about being fair? Just because I said I'll understand doesn't mean that I'm not going to try."  
  
"I am not going to jeopardize our friendship again. Friends just don't fuck around with other friends!" He states firmly as stubbornness slowly rears its head and adds as an afterthought, "Not unless those friends are habitual drug users."   
  
"Guess what I am wearing now." She ignores his comments and continues to entice him.  
  
"What?" As soon as the word leaves his month, he knows that he's made a wrong move.  
  
"Chanel # 5...and nothing more."  
  
Eyes closed tightly, Chandler puts the phone on his shoulder and mouths "Oh my God!" in astonishment. Somehow, his hand is working against his will as it raises the phone back to his ears involuntarily. That burgeoning stubbornness is crudely replaced by something else, something much powerful that intelligence and self-control: Lust.  
  
Knowing that he is on the verge of breaking, Monica licks her lips and asks, "And guess what else I have in the fridge?"  
  
"B…Ben & Jerry's?" he stutters, his hand starts to shake as his heart is torn between his brain and his crotch. There is only so much a man can take.  
  
"Mmmmm yeah…" she moans, "and I am going to do much more than just eating it."  
  
"Mon, don't do this to me." He pleads as he discreetly covers the apparent bulge in his pants under the desk when a female co-worker passes by and gives him a strange look.  
  
"But I can't stop thinking about you. God, my nipples get hard just thinking about you…I miss having your hands on me, touching me, fondling me…"   
  
Frustratingly, he bangs his head on the table.  
  
"What's the matter?" she asks with feigned innocence upon hearing the sound of his head hitting the keyboard and continues temptingly, "Awww…why don't you come on over and I'll do something about that hard-on of yours."   
  
Suddenly, he looks up from the keyboard. Annoyance and anger unexpectedly kick in from out of nowhere. Is this all just some kind of competition to her? Would she do anything just to get him to cave? No, he will certainly NOT give her the satisfaction.  
  
"Listen to me woman," he musters up all the determination he has and declares, "I am not coming and that's the end of the story!"  
  
With that, he hangs up on Monica the second time that day.  
  
***  
  
Monica looks at the phone and laughs lightly. It is only a matter of time before he gives in. She knows him.  
  
As her hand lingers on the receiver, she wonders if she should call and harass him again. After a moment of hesitation, she decides to leave him in peace for a while. As much fun as it was annoying him, she knows when to stop. Besides, the most important part of the game is accomplished: he knows what day this is, he's reminded of the pact and he now knows what she wants. It is only a matter of time…  
  
***  
  
Is she KIDDING him with this?  
  
Chandler muses as the once incredibly dull phone rings for the third time in ten minutes. He yanks the receiver up edgily. He has had enough.  
  
"No, I am still not coming and for the love of God I don't care how hard your nipples are!! Now leave me the hell alone!"  
  
"Dude! I thought you said data processing is boring!" another familiar voice, one that isn't Monica's, exclaims.   
  
"Joey?" Chandler can actually feel his face going red. He didn't see that one coming.  
  
"Have you been lying to me all along?" his friend demands exaggeratingly, "You're not really a data processor, are you?"  
  
"What? No!" he clarifies hurriedly, "Some delusional chick was prank calling me and it got really annoying, that's all."   
  
"Riiight…she was 'prank calling' you." Joey says disbelievingly, "That's okay, I completely understand. The little general didn't get much exercise lately uh?"  
  
"Joey, its not what you think…"  
  
"Of course it isn't!" he interrupts, "I'm a man too! Hell, I call those numbers all the time!"  
  
"So that's why our phone bill is os high!" Chandler concludes accusingly, trying to change the subject.  
  
Unfortunately, Joey's sick mind can't not be deterred as he continues his speech understandingly, "You don't have to be ashamed, Chandler. We all have urges and sometimes we just have to find alternate relief when the real thing is far from available. It is perfectly normal..."  
  
"Why are you calling me Joe?" he asks wearily. Of all the things he has learned in the past two years, going along with his not-so-bright friend is one of them. It certainly makes life a lot easier sometimes.  
  
"Oh, I just want to tell you that I won't be home tonight…I've got a hot date…Twins!!" Joey says excitedly.  
  
"So? You go on dates every night." Chandler states dejectedly. It certainly sucks to listen to his oversexed roommate does the horizontal mambo with extremely loud women at night.   
  
Overall, it just sucks to be him.  
  
"Well, since I'm not going to see Mon tonight, I want you to wish her a happy birthday for me."   
  
"What makes you think that I'm going to see her tonight?" Paranoid, he asks a little too quickly.  
  
"Because you guys see each other every night…you ARE going to see her tonight though, right?" Joey questions obliviously. Unwittingly, he has asks the same question that has been troubling his roommate for quite some time now.  
  
"I don't know, Man. I want to but…" Chandler begins to reply forlornly before covering up immediately, "Uh, I mean, I heard that she's going away for the day."  
  
"O…kay." Joey says, a little bit more confused than usual, and adds, "Just tell her if you see her then."  
  
"Will do." He responds with fake enthusiasm.   
  
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then. Now, Big Daddy's got some big business to attend to." Without waiting for his friend to say goodbye, Joey hangs up eagerly.  
  
After their conversation, Chandler leans back into his chair and stares pensively at his computer screen, which still features the lovely, but to him, meaningless playmate of the year.   
  
Lost in thought, he stays that way for a long while until he's jerked back into reality by Doug's boastful voice.  
  
"Bing!" he hollers.  
  
"Heyee...Doug!" he hollers back in his best work holler after quickly fixing his computer screen.  
  
"You're in luck today." Doug says pompously and shoves a ticket at him.  
  
Puzzled, he looks at the ticket and literally shudders. Just the words, "Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance" alone scare the bejeezus out of him, let alone actually watching the guy's legs flailing about as if they're independent of his body.  
  
Thankfully, his boss is too self-absorbed to notice his reaction and goes on, "I was gonna go with my wife but apparently, the guy freaks her out..."  
  
At this point, he can't help but to chuckle at the irony of the situation.   
  
"I know!" Doug says obliviously, thinking that he's laughing his wife's silliness, "Who would've thought that Irish wuss can freak anybody out?"  
  
Uncomfortably, Chandler doesn't say anything and goes into his full work-laugh mode.  
  
"I...I don't know what to say." He finally chokes out, "Thank you...I guess."  
  
"Just have fun tonight." he says and with a knowing wink, he adds, "By the way, I gave the other ticket to Brian in Payroll...you can thank me again later."  
  
After he gives his favorite employee a slap in the ass, Doug strides back into his office proudly, satisfied with his intuition and ability in matchmaking.  
  
Dumbfounded, Chandler stands motionless in the sea of padded cells with doors, still holding the Michael Flatley ticket. This day just keeps getting worst and worst. Finally, he takes one look at the ticket and immediately comes to a conclusion...  
  
To Hell with random acts of intelligence and senseless acts of self-control.   
  
***  
  
He's not coming.  
  
Monica shoves the last spoonful of ice cream into her mouth depressingly. It is now thirteen after six, she has just finished her Ben & Jerry's and there is still no sign of Chandler.  
  
That bastard. She throws her spoon into the carton box, pissed. Since when did he have a conscience?   
  
However, she has to give him credit for being so levelheaded. Maybe she went about this all wrong…maybe she shouldn't have pressured him in the first place. Who would have thought that Chandler could be so stubborn? She never thought that it could be such a big turn on. Now she wants him all the more.   
  
She winces as a sudden stab of pain shoots through her brain.  
  
"Owww! Brain-freeze!" she complains and she rubs her temples gently.  
  
That son of a bitch! She scolds him mentally as she leans against her couch and closes her eyes. She should've just gone along and let Phoebe put a curse on him last week. Hell, she would put a curse on him right now if she knows how to do it.   
  
A soft knock on the door interrupts her bitter thoughts. She opens one eye to take a quick glance at the door and takes in a quick breath.  
  
There he is, standing on the other side of the door with his hands resting upon the glass longingly.  
  
All the resentful thoughts about him fade away as soon as she locks eyes with him.   
  
She was right about him after all…she knew he would come.   
  
A small smile involuntarily takes over her face as she slowly walks toward the door and puts one hand on the glass where his is positioned, all the while never breaking eye-contact with him.  
  
Chandler looks at their hands. All the doubts, all the potential problems surrounding their affair instantaneously melt away and all he wants to do now is to make passionate love to his best friend.  
  
"You are supposed to be naked." He comments lightly, although the atmosphere around them is anything but light.  
  
"I thought you weren't coming." She states, unable to hide the hurt in her voice.  
  
"Well, I changed my mind." He says softly.  
  
"And I put my clothes on." She counters.  
  
"Aren't you going to open the door?"  
  
"I don't know, should I?" she is giving him his last chance to back out of the deal.  
  
"I think its imperative that you do." He whispers huskily.  
  
Monica bites her bottom lips and traces the outline of his hand with fake indecisiveness.   
  
"Hmmm…I'm afraid you're too late, Chandler. Ben & Jerry and I have already worn each other out." She says mischievously. It is payback time.  
  
"Mon, you are such a tease." He objects. Man! She is driving him crazy in that t-shirt of hers.  
  
"Well, you hang up on me. A girl's gotta do something…" she trails off playfully.  
  
"Mon, sweetie," he says tactfully, "open that door and I'll show you how sorry I REALLY am."  
  
Obediently, she puts all pretence aside and opens the door eagerly. However, as soon as there is nothing standing in between them anymore, they find themselves rooted to the spot, fearing that they'll lose complete control if either party makes the slightest bit of movement.   
  
In the end, it is Monica who makes the first move. She steps toward him and caresses his cheek gently. She looks up at him, getting lost in his deep blue eyes before standing on her toes and kisses his lips tenderly.   
  
Her lips send Chandler into a frenzy as he grabs her waists tightly and backs her up against the wall.   
  
She moans and runs her hands through his hair as he pushes his tongue into her mouth, while welcoming the arousing sensation his hand is creating under her shirt.   
  
They have both waited a whole year for this…and being in each other's arms again feel much more intense than either of them can remember or anticipated.  
  
***  
  
Pinned between the wall and Chandler, it is a long while after their heated climax before Monica returns to Earth. It takes another brief moment before she can move her legs that dangles on either side of Chandler's waist. She can feel his breath on her neck and it makes her shiver all over.  
  
"Alright, whatever nasty thoughts I had about you, I take it back…so, UN-screw you." She jokes lightly. When he doesn't respond to her, she slides her leg up and down, feeling the silky fabric of his trousers and comments giddily, "You didn't even take your pants off."   
  
Silently, he gazes into her eyes tenderly before giving her soft kisses on her forehead, on her cheeks and finally on her lips. Afterward, he carries her to the room, lays her down on the bed and covers her up with a blanket. He, on the other hand, lies on top of the quilt and wraps his arms around her from behind.  
  
They stay like this for a long time, neither one of them wants to break the sudden intimacy that envelops them.  
  
"What made you change your mind?" she finally asks.  
  
"Joey wants me to wish you a happy birthday." He replies after a brief moment of deliberation.   
  
He really doesn't know why he's here. On the way to the beach house, his mind advised him repeatedly to do the right thing but his will, along with his penis, told him that this IS the right thing. He just happened to follow wherever it was pointing.  
  
"And my sexy phone call had nothing to do with it?"   
  
"Nope." He lies and kisses the nape of her neck and hugs her a little tighter.  
  
"Ummm…" she ponders, "I see Joey's finally done something right. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."  
  
"You didn't give me any choice there, did ya?" he asks sarcastically.   
  
"Hey, I didn't point a gun to your head…you came anyway." She banters playfully.  
  
"In more ways than one, yes." He raises his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
She giggles, turns around and begins to undo his tie but he puts out a hand to stop her.  
  
"Do you want to tell me why we're doing this again?" he asks with a serious expression, as if he wants her to reassure him that they are doing the right thing and this affair will all turn out okay in the end.  
  
"I want to feel your arms around me, like this." She explains with certainty, "I love feeling your lips on me and I want to feel you inside of me…but I don't want to risk the chance of losing you altogether, Chandler, and…this is the only way to have it all. Do you understand?"   
  
He stares at her quietly before finally nodding and giving in to her. This is an incredibly selfish reason to continue an affair but he doesn't complain. How could he? This is Monica he's talking about! Besides, he always has a soft spot for her.   
  
Nevertheless, he can't help but feels like he's just committed love suicide...  
  
"We really should even things out." Changing the subject, he resumes her work as he yanks his tie away forcefully.  
  
Relieved, Monica smiles and gives him a hand in removing his clothes. She runs her hands across his chests and starts to kiss him, hard.   
  
Half way into the kiss, Chandler halts suddenly and asks, "Did I get to wish you a happy birthday?"  
  
"You don't have to Chandler." She smiles and kisses the tip of his nose, "I already am."  
  
***  
  
And that's it for 1995!   
  
I'll be back with 1996 probably after November...after all the mid-term craps are out of the way. Please review this story, I'd appreciate it very, very much. If you have any suggestions, feel free to write me at mondler@hotmail.com...   
  
Another thing, a lot of people have been asking me if I am continuing Lost and Found. The answer is yes, I WILL finish the story but right now I am not really depressed enough to write it. Maybe after the mid-terms, when I am kicked out of Engineering then I'll finish it...school sucks....but seriously, I will continue that series once I have more time in my hands.   



	5. Part Four: 1996

Hello y'all! I am back! Sorry I'm late though but the period after the midterms are crazy! But I passed the horror of first semester and now I bring you guys part four of the series!   
  
This part is much more serious that the last two. You guys may notice that one particular element of the plot resembles Daphne's latest fic. I just finished writing that part when she posted hers up. I was going to change the whole story but I couldn't come up with anything else better...so, please bear with me. Oh, and bewarned, this part is not edited by anyone so it is not my best work...that and the fact that I wrote half in November and the rest of it in January...so the emotions of the characters might not be consistent.  
  
Special thanks to SJ and all of those who send me encouraging e-mails...I would've given up by now if it weren't for them. See, feedbacks does work! : )  
  
Anyway, on with the story...(and the characters are not mine!)   
  
***  
  
Part Four  
  
April 23, 1996  
  
Chandler stares the petite house with uncertainty. It hasn't changed much over the past three years. The porch is still charmingly crooked while the mailbox is stuffed with useless flyers and coupons. The window overlooking the sea appears frosted and murky, making it difficult to look into the premise.   
  
Despite its worn-out exterior, this place offers him a chance to escape reality in the past. This is the place where the impossible happened, where life imitates art…it is the best secret in his life and he's not sure if he's ready to give it up yet.   
  
Anxiety mounts as he continues to stand in reverie. An elderly couple gives him suspicious looks as they pass him for the second time this day. He doesn't blame them. He's been rooted to the same spot like a dummy for quite a while now, fearing the unknown.   
  
For the millionth time that hour, he sums up his courage and starts to walk toward the main door only to stop himself as soon as he lifts his foot.  
  
What if she's not here?  
  
There is more than ninety percent chance that she won't show up this year. Then again, why should she?  
  
She's got somebody now.  
  
What did he expect? She is the hottest woman he's ever known. When they've made that pact, he knows, for sure, that it will not last. Some guy is bound to sweep her off her feet; and once that happens, this little deal of theirs will stop. He never thinks for one second that she will cheat on any of her boyfriends with him and he never expects her to. It is completely out of her character to do so.  
  
In the end, he's just being a big naïve fool by coming here anyway in hopes of the chance that maybe, just MAYBE, she would cast her usual personality aside, like she did on every one of her birthdays so far, and keep her end of the deal.  
  
Chandler finally settles on the porch dejectedly, unwilling to find out the horrible truth just yet. If nobody answers that door, then…that's it. No more annual secret getaways, no more sex and beaches…no more "Same Time Next Year."  
  
That big old tree.   
  
He looks at his hands bitterly as the image of Richard Burke enters his mind. Him and his respectable eye clinic…along with his sexy moustache. He is everything a woman like Monica has ever dreamed of: good-looking, experienced and mature. He is the epitome of what a good, responsible adult should be. For one, he certainly wouldn't forget a baby on the bus…or let a woman talk him into wearing a pink thong and then get stuck in a public bathroom stall in nothing but the little piece of garment, which should NOT be qualified as a kind of underwear. Those things are entertaining enough for men, but made purely for women.   
  
He grimaces at the memory of his humiliating experience before his thoughts involuntarily returns to the subject of Richard, Monica's new boyfriend, who, by the way, is old enough to be her father.   
  
Despite of his intimidating suaveness, he is a cool big tree. It is hard to dislike the guy when he is a really, really nice guy…nice enough to let him and Joey drive his fancy Jaguar…it's a pity that he only got to drive it for fifteen blocks though.   
  
Sometimes he wonders if he made the wrong decision last year. If he didn't agree to her deal, would things turn out differently?   
  
He doubts it.   
  
Maybe there is something wrong with the stars and the planets are aligned in an unusual way on April 23rd but one would never have guessed or believed that he and Monica were sexually involved. On all the other days of this miserable year, she never even glances at him as something more than the goofball that lives across the hall.  
  
It seems like there is this mutual agreement between them to never, ever talk about their annual meeting outside of the beach house.  
  
Well, a deal is a deal. So why complain if he, in normal circumstances, wouldn't be given the slightest chance to begin with?   
  
He actually got to SLEEP with Monica! This must be God's favour for him in compensation for his traumatic childhood and all of its shitty fallouts.  
  
Now the question is: would the Man Upstairs be kind enough to continue to grant him this favour?   
  
He really doesn't mind only being her lover. He is perfectly content to have her, even for just once a year.   
  
Chandler frowns at this thought. He's not asking for much, only one day with Monica every year. Its not like he would steal her away from Richard. Hell, Ross kissed Rachel while he's with Julie and he still gets the girl he truly wanted in the end.  
  
It's sickening how happy they are sometimes.   
  
He sighs and put his head in his hands. It is unfair for him to think about his friends that way. Both Ross and Rachel went through a lot of pining, jealousy and heartache in order to be together and they deserve to be happy…just like Monica deserves to be happy. All sullenness aside, he is glad that she has found someone who adores and respects her for being her quirky self.  
  
Absently, he picks up a stick from the ground and begins to write his name on the ground.  
  
What a year this has been!  
  
First he made the mistake of getting rid of his "nubbin'". It's a shame that he never knew how proud he was of it until it is gone, especially since Monica commented that it was sexy. Now he has to settle with two regular nipples, just like everybody else.   
  
Then Mr. Heckles died. He barely knew the guy and quite frankly, he didn't like him much. Before his death, he was just the weird old guy that always complained about the "excessive noise" that he and the others supposedly made. Who would've thought that this guy would have such an affect on him?   
  
It is freaky that he is actually a mini version of Heckles. And to know that he can turn out to be exactly like him, bitter and alone, it literally snapped him back to reality and forced himself to get his acts together…so much so that he called Janice and begged her to take him back.  
  
It didn't take long for him to realize just how stupid he was, especially after learning that she got married. Not only was she a married woman, but she was also a very pregnant woman.   
  
How the hell did that happen? She was supposed to be his safety net! It didn't seem that long ago when he dumped her…how could she get hitched AND knocked up within such a short time?  
  
Down the drain his backup plan went. He doesn't want to admit it but it was quite upsetting.   
  
Well, at least Joey will not be putting up with her anytime in the future. Then again, he wouldn't have to put up with her at any rate since he moved out a couple of days ago.  
  
Yep. Joey Tribianni is a big soap opera star now. If he can have his very own stalker, he could certainly afford his own apartment…along with sophisticated decorations like a big white ceramic dog.   
  
So who is HE to stand in the way of luxury?  
  
"This is the WORST year ever!" he thinks out loud as he throws the stick away in frustration.  
  
A sudden noise behind him startles him as a familiar voice rings out in his ears. Elevated and stunned, he slowly turns around to see Monica, who is talking on the phone behind the screen door.   
  
"Oh don't worry Mrs. Williams I know this guy." She reassures the person on the other line politely. Although her voice is extremely polite, her eyes are filled with agitation as they fix themselves upon him.  
  
"How long?" she asked with a hint of surprise and clarifies after a brief moment, "Uh, that's because we had a fight…yeah, he's my boyfriend…well, he's not my favourite person right now…" she pauses here to give Chandler a reproachful look to further signify that she's not happy with him and continues, "…uh-huh…That's okay…Thank you very much for calling I'd appreciated it very much. Bye Mrs Williams!"  
  
After Monica hangs up, they stand in silence just staring at each other for what seems like hours. Oblivious to the fact that she is extremely pissed, Chandler feels like he has won the lottery.   
  
This is a miracle! Wow, God must feel really, really sorry for him. Wait a minute, what if she came because she wants to end the pact face to face?  
  
His train of thoughts is brought to a halt quickly when she opens the door and approaches him huffily.  
  
"Well, that was Mrs. Williams calling to tell me that I have a prowler outside of the house." She explains and crosses her arms.  
  
"Prowler? I wasn't prowling. I was just…lingering." He defends feebly.   
  
"She said that she and her husband saw you on their way to the store and when they came back two hours later, you were still here staring at the house like a burglar trying to get in. It's no wonder why they are concerned!"  
  
Before Chandler can make a wiseass comment, Monica pushes him violently and scolds, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"   
  
Taken by surprise, he staggers backward and almost falls on the sand.   
  
"Hey! What the fuck is wrong with YOU?"   
  
Ignoring his question, she walks angrily toward him to give him another shove. However, he grabs a hold of her wrists just in time.  
  
"Okay stop it!" he warns. He is not the kind of person that gets mad easily but at the moment, his temper is beginning to stir as she fights to yank her hands away from his so she can resume bullying him.  
  
This isn't a miracle; this turns out to be the lottery from hell. What does she think he is? A punching bag?  
  
Before long, the struggling turns into a wrestling match when Monica trips him in a desperate attempt to free herself. Unfortunately, Chandler is already in the 'if-I'm-going-down-I'm-pulling-you-down-with-me' mode and she ends up falling on top of him. Then, he quickly flips around, pins her under him and places her hands firmly on either side of her head.   
  
"Let go of me!" she commands as she struggles to move.  
  
"So you can keep on pushing me around? Who do you take me for, your own personal slave?" He says smugly.  
  
She stops moving and gives him a hell-worthy stare.  
  
"Chandler Muriel Bing, I am warning you." She threatens through her gritted teeth, "Let go of me now or your ass will be met by the back of my foot."  
  
"In this position, I would love to see you do that without breaking your leg." He taunts her mischievously and tightens his hands on her wrists.  
  
She gives him a sarcastic smile before suddenly turning her head and bites his left arm fiercely.  
  
"OW!" he yells in pain and releases her hands immediately.   
  
Seizing the opportunity, she uses her freakish strength to turn their bodies around and reverse their position.   
  
"You son of a bitch!" she straddles him and reproaches furiously, "I waited for you for hours! I bought wine and candles…and…and Ben & Jerry's…I even made you your Goddamn macaroni and cheese!"  
  
Despite of the pain, Chandler's annoyance and competitiveness dissipate as he stares, dumbfounded, at the woman above him. Her eyes sparkles with the kind of fire that only she possesses while her luscious mouth quivers lightly in between each breath she takes.  
  
"God you're beautiful when you're mad!" he blurts out.  
  
Taken back, Monica unsuccessfully hides the smile that almost takes place on her face. It takes a few seconds for her to retrieve her angry exterior again and states, "If you think you can sweet-talk your way out of this…"  
  
She can't even finish her sentence when the man below sits up abruptly and captures her mouth with his own.  
  
At the instant their lips touch, she feels her heart flutters and the last bit of her irritation with him drains away as his tongue massages hers lovingly.   
  
Well, what hell does she know? It works!  
  
Moaning into his mouth, she can't help but sinking more into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck.   
  
It's been a year since he has kissed her like that.  
  
Chandler always has a way with her. He can either make her crazy with his stupid jokes and his annoying habits or he can make her crazy just by kissing her and making love to her…  
  
That manipulative bastard.  
  
He moves away from her mouth and begins to kiss her neck gently while she tilts her head to one side in order to give him better access.  
  
"Mmmm…" she sighs contently, "I thought you forgot about today."  
  
Upon hearing her comment, he stops his ministration immediately and looks incredulously into his eyes, "Mon, how can I possibly forget about today?"  
  
"Then why did you stay out here for so long?" she asks, unable to conceal the hurt in her voice.  
  
"I…" he takes a deep breath and tries to formulate his thoughts into words, "I didn't want to knock and then find out that you're not here. I guess I didn't want to be disappointed."  
  
At the discovery of this day's importance to him, Monica strokes his cheek as her heart is swelled with astonishment, sympathy and contentment.  
  
"Chandler, what makes you think that I wouldn't show up?" she finally inquires even though she knows fully well what his answer would be.  
  
"Uh…gee, I don't know." He responds sarcastically, "Maybe the fact that you have Richard now?"  
  
"Richard has nothing to do with what this day is."  
  
"What are talking about?" he exclaims in disbelief, "He is your boyfriend!"  
  
"You and I have made a pact." She disregards his comments and reasons, "Do I look like a person that backs out of a deal?"  
  
Without allowing him to answer her, she stands up and wipes the sand off of her clothes.  
  
"Look, we've wasted enough time out here already. Why don't we go in and enjoy what's left of the day?" She extends her hand to him and adds, "Your Mac and Cheese is cold."  
  
Chandler looks at her hand and contemplates for a very brief instant before totally giving in.  
  
"I like them cold." He remarks as he takes her hand and gets up.  
  
"You would." Monica rolls her eyes and chuckles.   
  
Her smile fades when she notices the bite mark she left on his arm. Carefully, she touches it with her finger and pulls away immediately when he flinches. That was some bite.  
  
"I'm sorry I bit you." She apologizes guiltily.  
  
"That's okay. I should've known that you're liable to say and do anything when you get all riled up. Besides," he smirks slyly, "the image of you being a dominatrix turns me on."  
  
"Really?" she raises her eyebrows, "You know, it's not a good idea to suggests anything that you might not be able handle later on 'cause I think I might have a couple of handcuffs somewhere inside."  
  
"Ooooh…Kinky." He flirts as he stares into her blue eyes, which were dancing with mischief and excitement.  
  
Just as he's about to lean in for another passionate kiss, a startling voice dissolves the romantic air and replace the atmosphere with anxiety and guilt.  
  
"Glad I found you here." The familiar voice says calmly.  
  
Upon hearing the voice, Monica feels like her heart stops for a few agonizing seconds before it races uncontrollably. She looks at Chandler urgently, hoping that this is just her imagination playing a nasty prank on her. Nonetheless, his horrified expression told her otherwise.   
  
Slowly, she turns around to find her boyfriend standing not even fifteen feet away from them. She nervously wonders how long he's been standing there and more importantly, how much of their conversation he has picked up.   
  
"Ri…Richard!" she stutters as her boyfriend approaches them slowly.  
  
"Monica." He looks at her for a moment and shifts his eyes on the man beside his girlfriend and greets politely, "Chandler."  
  
A million thoughts concerning the many ways Richard can kill him run through his mind before Chandler finds his own voice. Even then all he can get out of his mouth is a weak "Richard".  
  
"What are you doing here?" Somewhat recovered, Monica asks as casually as possible.  
  
"To celebrate my girlfriend's birthday with her." He announces simply and gives her a peck on the lips.   
  
"Oh!" she chuckles before asking subtly, "How did you manage to find me here?"  
  
"Your parents told me." He answers nonchalantly.  
  
"My parents?" she questions, confused.  
  
"Yeah! They mentioned something about you liking to spend your birthdays here. So I figured that you might need some company." He pauses to take a look at Chandler and continues, "I just didn't know that you already have some."   
  
"Don't…don't worry about me." Chandler interjects quickly, "I'm just here to ask Monica something and uh, now I'm leaving!"  
  
"You are?" Monica looks at him sharply.  
  
"Yeah." He says, "Thank you for your advice, I know the right thing to do now." He stares into her pleading eyes, knowing that she understands the double meaning behind his statement, and smiles sincerely, "I'll see you tomorrow…Bye Richard."  
  
Monica watches silently as her lover shakes hands with her boyfriend amicably before heading toward the main road. Something inside of her wants to break free and shouts for Chandler to come back. However, her common sense, along with her guilt and love for Richard is working furiously to keep this impulsiveness caged. Instead, all she can do is to gaze helplessly as his figure gets smaller and smaller before he disappears around the corner.  
  
"He came all the way here to ask you a question?" Richard's question brings her back to reality.  
  
"Huh?" she breaks out of her trance quickly and covers up, "Oh! He…um…he has relationship problems."  
  
"I didn't know he's in one of those." her boyfriend comments straightforwardly.   
  
"He isn't." Monica replies while the wheel in her head spins quickly before settling on a lie, "You know Natalie? She is one of the waitresses in Central Perk. Anyway, Chandler has a huge crush on her and he doesn't know what to do."  
  
"Really?" Richard looks at her for a moment and states, "I always thought he was gay."  
  
"Oh there's so much you don't know." The statement leaves her mouth before it can even be registered and tamed by her brain. Alarmingly, she takes a look at her boyfriend and finds him staring back at her quietly.  
  
"You'd be surprised, Mon." he finally responds and kisses her on the forehead.  
  
Monica scrutinizes his face carefully and tries to fathom what his words mean. Nevertheless, his expression tells her nothing. It doesn't seem like he saw what just went on between her and Chandler. In fact, he is just as sweet and loving as usual. That alone causes her heart to ache with remorse.  
  
"Do you want to go inside now?" he asks gently.  
  
"Um…can we take a walk?" she requests uncomfortably.  
  
"Sure, whatever you want." He says and takes her hand as they walks toward the sea.   
  
The two strolls wordlessly along the beach until Richard breaks the silence, "God, it is beautiful here. We should come here more often."   
  
"Listen," Unwilling to continue the small talk, Monica gets to the point delicately, "Did my parents tell you that I usually spend my Birthdays alone?"  
  
"Yeah, I was wondering about that."  
  
"Okay, this might not make any sense to you but uh…for me, birthdays are not a good thing because it always signifies that I am getting old. So I prefer to come here and reflect on life and stuff…Its tradition!"  
  
"I can think of many ways to make you feel better." He suggests flirtatiously, "After all, traditions are made to be broken."  
  
"Not this one, Richard." She says firmly.   
  
He stares at her for a long time and nods, "Okay. I still don't understand it but I do respect your wishes."   
  
"I'm sorry. I just want to spend this day alone…to think." She says apologetically and adds, "I'll make it up to you, I promise."  
  
Richard caresses her face tenderly and put a strand of her hair behind her ear.   
  
"Don't worry about it." He whispers and kisses her cheek, "We're still on for Tuesday night, right?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"Good." He gives her a kiss on the mouth before turning around and walking towards the main road, just like Chandler did a moment ago.  
  
After he disappears completely around the corner, Monica sighs heavily and drops onto the sand. She doesn't want to send him away this way but there is no chance in Hell she can be able to face him after what happened, or what didn't happened, tonight.  
  
She never realizes the gravity of the situation until Richard shows up so suddenly. Sure, she thought about this day before but the notion of how much are at stake never really hit her until now.   
  
The worst part is: she doesn't know if she's feeling more sorry about the fact that she almost cheated on her boyfriend, the man that she undoubtedly loves, or the fact that she doesn't get to spend her special day with Chandler, the man that makes her feel alive.  
  
And to think that she was actually looking forward to this day…  
  
She wraps her arms around her legs and pensively watches the sun as it slowly sinks into the sea.  
  
***  
  
A short time later, Chandler finds himself staring at her lonely back from afar. This is certainly one of the strangest day he has ever experienced. He has never felt so many emotional highs and lows in such a short period of time. From fear to relief, disappointment to elevation, which is soon replaced by remorse and rationality.  
  
As much as he wants their secret affair to continue, he can't do that to Monica...he can't destroy her chance in love and happiness simply because of one night of wild sex-capade. However, he also owes her an explanation, a conclusion.   
  
Like a moth drawn to the flames, he approaches her quietly and takes a seat beside her.   
  
Without acknowledging his presence, Monica keeps gazing at the sea with a blank expression on her face.   
  
He sits patiently with her, unwilling to make any moves until she's ready to talk about their affair, which seems to come to a bittersweet end.  
  
"I thought your were going to do the right thing." She remarks.  
  
"Well, I saw Richard's Jaguar whooshes by and I figured we need some kind of a closure." He deduces as he looks at her expectantly.  
  
Stubbornly, she fixes her eyes on the disappearing sun, reluctant to face him.  
  
Upon her unresponsiveness, Chandler sighs, "I guess all good things must come to an end, right? And believe me, this is one of the best things that has ever happened to me…but we've got to stop it before things get out of hand."  
  
Monica finally turns to look at him and suddenly, she finds herself announces the following firmly.  
  
"No." she shakes her head. This is exactly why she refuses look into his eyes in the first place. All her shame and regret just vanish as her irrationality convinces her heart that this is a risk worth taking.   
  
"No?"  
  
"No." she reasons, "We've made that pact long before Richard came into my life."  
  
"Monica," he runs his hand through his hair as he argues, "You are ruining a perfect relationship because of a stupid pact! This is not just about us anymore. There are other people's feelings involved!"   
  
"This is not just a stupid pact!" she defends, "This day is never about anyone else but you and me. Chandler, don't you get it? I…I need this…" pausing to take a deep breath, she confesses, "I need you."  
  
Gently, he strokes her cheek and sighs, "Mon, somebody is going to get hurt. I just don't want that someone to be you…I'll never forgive myself if I am somehow responsible for breaking you and Richard up."  
  
She kisses the inside of his palms and explains sincerely, "I love Richard, a lot, but our relationship is not perfect; it still has its uncertainties…and if it doesn't work out between us, I can assure you that it won't be because of you."  
  
"What about…"  
  
"As for our friendship," she smiles knowingly, "we survived that episode with Kip and Grace, didn't we?"  
  
Touched, Chandler pulls her close to kiss her forehead and mumbles huskily, "You are going to be the end of me, you know that?"  
  
"Face it, Bing," she rests her head on his shoulder and says, "You can never get rid of me. Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but this," she pauses to gestures between them, "this is forever."  
  
"Forever huh?" he asks thoughtfully.  
  
"Forever." She answers resolutely.  
  
"That's a pretty long time."  
  
"You're not going to get all…Chandler on me, are you?" Monica pulls away and examines him reproachfully.  
  
"With you?" he grabs her waist to bring her close to him again and kisses the top of her head, "No…at least not yet."  
  
"Good." she comments lightly and settles her head back on his shoulder.  
  
The twosome continues to cuddle as the myriad of stars lights up the sky, both find an unusual sense of peace in their circumstance.   
  
"Monica?" Out of the blue, he breaks the magical silence.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"How many handcuffs do you have?"  
  
***  
  
That's a wrap for 1996! The whole thing with Richard...it is not completely over yet.   
  
As always, feedbacks and suggestions are welcomed. If you have any ideas, any ideas at all, please e-mail me 'cause there is at least six more parts to go and I am beginning to run out of them. Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll be back as soon as I can. 


End file.
